Mackay joins Hearts search

Tynecastle is said to be unsuitable for redevelopment

Gary Mackay has been nominated by the Federation of Hearts Supporters Clubs to sit on the working party searching for a permanent home for the club.

The new group was set up by chairman George Foulkes and will be chaired by Lord Macaulay of Bragar.

"I was happy to represent the Federation on the working party," Mackay told the Edinburgh Evening News.

"We are all aware that the main thing is finding a home for the football club. That is the key issue."

70-year-old Lord Macaulay, who is a season ticket holder, will examine new sites - and even the possibility of staying at Tynecastle.

Fans had reacted angrily to Hearts' belief that their present home is not suitable for redevelopment.

And Foulkes said when announcing the group last week: "I want to stress that there is no option which is off-limits to the group."

Tynecastle's pitch no longer complies with Uefa size requirements, while re-developing would presently prove expensive due to planning restrictions.

So Hearts plan to temporarily share Scotland's national rugby stadium, at nearby Murrayfield, at the end of the 2004-05 season while looking for a new home.

The working party will also comprise representatives of Heart of Midlothian Supporters' Trust, the fans' forum and shareholders' association, plus experts in areas like property and finance.

It will report to the Hearts board by the end of the year.